This article is from page 18 of the 2006-10-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
THE ESB have addressed issues raised in a controversial consultants’ report with the Oireachtas committee responsible for powerpricing. The company was challenging parts of the Deloitte report, which had an airing in the media last week.
A spokesman for the ESB said that it had been pointed out that while Deloitte had priced power costs as been more than 50 per cent higher than the European average, this was only the case in relation to a small number of customers, while for 95 per cent of power-users, costs were on a par with Europe. The figures given for the Poolbeg station were incorrect, the committee heard.
Claims that power-station staff were being paid up to €100,000 per annum, “are not outside the norm for the industry,” the spokesman said. “The average wage in the power-generating operation would be €92,000. This is for a round the clock service and includes shift rates and other payments. In other sectors, people have a very different rate. This would be normal for the industry,” the spokesman added.
The report comes at a time when the power company have been given the go-ahead for a January price-hike.
Meanwhile, ATGWU regional secretary, Mick O’ Reilly, said that“Deloitte did not show that ESB labour costs were higher than the rest of Europe. They specifically stated in their report, ‘We believe that payroll costs are higher…’”
He added that a considerable amount of money had been paid for “a report based on beliefs and maybes.”